Poker mechanism for gas producers



Bec. 3G, 1924#- L52L2311 R. DAAE P OKER MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS Bec, 30, 1924.

R. DAAE POKER MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS Filed out. 11, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LSZ'LZEB Dec, 30,

R. DAAE POKER MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS Filed Oct. l1, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

REINHARDT DAA, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANA POKER MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

Application led October 11, 1920. Serial No. 416,103.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHARDT DAAE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at ducers, of such construction that it will effect a distribution of the fuel within the body of the producer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a poker of such configuration that the fuel bed is subjected to a uniform poking action thereby.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for pokers of such construction that different movements may be imparted to the poker as found desirable during any cycle of operation thereof. y

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable poker of the character described having a water-seal co-opcrating therewith for preventing the escape of gases from the producer body.

The foregoing and other objects, together with their attendantl advantages, will be apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings forming a part thereof, it being premised that changes may be made in the various details 4and the manner of operation, Within the scope of the lappended claims, without departing from the 'spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a producer having a poker a-nd operating mechanisms constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the poker operating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the mechanism of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the poker, 55

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the poker.

Figures 7 8 and 9 are detail views in side elevation of the operating disks, and

Figure is a detail view in side elevation of the catch for the poker. t Referring more particularly to the drawings there is illustrated the upper portion of a producer body comprising an outer shell 2 having a refractory lining 3 suitably secured thereto, 'and provided with a gas offtake 4 extending laterally through the side of the producer. For closing the top of the producer there 1s provided a cover 5 supported for rotation on suitable rollers 6 and prevented from moving radially by restraining rollers 7. For rotating the cover, the periphery thereof may be provided with teeth 8 constituting a ring gear meshing with a driving gear 9 on m .the upper end of Ia vertical shaft 10 receivlng power from any desired source, not shown. On its under face, the cover 5 is preferably provided with a downwardly extending flange 11 adapted to extend within the channel 12 formed b v the top plate 13. The channel 12 maybe supplied with water in any desired manner to constitute, with the flange 11, a water-seal preventing the esc-ape of gases from the producer body.

Extending transversely of the cover 5 and mounted in suitable bearings thereon is a shaft 14 having secured to one end thereof a bevel gear 15 which projects through an opening 16 in the cover 5 and engages the teeth 17 formed on the top plate 13. Due to this construction it will be apparent that as the cover 5 is rotated` rotation will be iniparted to the shaft 14. Extending parallel to the shaft 14 is a second shaft 18 adapted 95 to be driven therefrom by a suitable gearing 19. Secured to the shaft 18 are three disks 20, 21 and 22, which disks have different peripheral configurations for the pur ose hereinafter more fully pointed out. clid- N0 ably mounted on the shaft 18 is a clutch member 23 adapted to engage a second clutch l member' 24 formed on the gear 25, which gear is freely rotatable on the shaft. The gear in turn meshes with a similar gear 2G on the jackshaft 27, which gear is in mesh with a rack 28 mounted on the casing 29.

Secured to the casing 29 in any desired manner is a tubular upright 30 carrying a poker 31 at its lower end; For `partially counterbalancing the weight of the poker and the weight of the casing 29, there may bevprovide'd a counterweight 32 mounted on the arm 33 having a pivotal mounting 34 and connected to the casing by a chain 35\, as clearly shown in the drawings. A cat elr 35 of any desired construction may be pivctally secured to the cover 5 to. engage the arm 33 when the poker is in elevated position and thereby hold the same out of contact with the fuel bed.

With this construction, it will be apparent that rotation of the gear 26 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, will result in raising the poker 31 out of engagement with the" fuel bed F within the producer. This operation of the po-ker 1s' -controlled by the disks 20, 21 and 22, any

one of which may be brought into operation at will at any time, or during any cycle of operation of the poker. The disk 20 has a continuous circular periphery adapted to engage a roller 36 carried by the collar 37, slidably mounted on the bell-crank lever 38 and held in any of these positions by a suitable catch 39. The bell-crank 38 has a pivotal mounting 40 and has its opposite end secured to a link 41 extending from the free end of the lever 42 having an intermediate pivotal mounting 43 and controlling the operation of the clutch member 23. A spring 44 is secured to the link 41 in such manner that the lever 42 tends at all times to throw the clutch member 23 into engagement with the clutch member 24. With the rollerv36 is engagement with the periphery of the disk 20, as shown in Figure 1, the clutch members 23 and 24 will be held out of engagement, thereby permitting the poker -to descend by gravity into engagement with the fuel bed. For raising the poker into such position that the arm 33 may be engaged by the catch 35', the roller 36 will be moved into contact with the periphery of disk 21, which disk is provided with a cutaway portion 45 extending substantially half way aroundthe disk. With the roller 36 opposite the cut away portion 45, the clutch members 23 and 24 will be drawn into engagement by the spring 44 andthe poker raised until the clutch members are separated byl the o-peration of the portion 45 of greater diameter. Prior to this time, however, the catch 35 will have passed over the arm 33 to prevent the dropping of the poker until released by hand.

The disk 22 corresponds generally to the employed, by moving the roller 36 into alignment therewith, the poker will be rapidly raised and permitted to fall in an intermittent manner to produce a tamping action on the fuel bed. These disks 20, 21, and 22, therefore, are each adapted to operate the poker in a distinctly different manner. The roller 36 is shifted into the plane of the disk desired to be thrown into operation and locked in such position by the catch 39.

During the reciprocation of the poker, it is prevented from rotation about its own axis by co-operating guides 47 formed on the casing 29 and cover 5. Extending longitudinally within the upright 30 is a water supply line 48 adapted to supply cooling fluid to the poker 3l from which it escapes around the circulation tube 49 to the upper end of the casing 29 and overflows into the cover 5, from which it may be takenin any desired manner. y At the same time, a portion of the water passes through the opening 50 into the chamber 51 within which projects a flange 52` formed of the casing 29 and constituting a water-seal to prevent the escape of gases around the poker.

As fuel is intermittently or continuously supplied during the rotation of the cover 5 through an opening 53, it is necessary to distribute this fuel evenly within the ,producer body. For thispurpose, the front of the poker 3l is provided with an upwardly inclined front edge 54 adapted to ride overI irregularities and to partially distribute the fuel in opposite directions on the fuel bed and to partially level the same. For moving the fuel radially outwardly and inwardly of the producer body, the bottom or fuel engaging face of the poker 31 is shaped to provide angularly extending portions 55 and 56, the angularity of the portion 55 being such that it tends to feed fuel toward the center of the producer body, while the angularity of the portion 56 is such that it tends to move the fuel outwardly from the center of the producer, sce Fig. 6. Cooperating with these angular portions 55 and 56 are oppositel \y extending corrugations or projections 57 and 58 formed on the bottom of the poker, which corrugations or projectionsl also 'exert a propelling action on the fue] and form a surface through which the gases may easily escape, as will be apparent.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figures 1 and 6 that the poker 31 extends subv of a comparatively small area in the central portions. This produces a fuel bed of uniform density insuring proper combustion and passage of gases therethrough.

With a poker operating mechanism of the construction described, it is obvious that relat-ive rotation between the cover and the producer body, no matter how produced, will be effective for imparting the desired movements of the poker.

The present construction also facilitates renewal or repair of the poker as may become necessary, due to the easy removal thereof. The chamber 51 has its walls secured to the cover 5 by suitable bolts 59 whereby it is only necessary to remove these bolts to enable the poker and its associated parts to be bodily lifted from the producer. This operation requires only a comparatively short time, thereby making it unnecessary to shut down the producer for any continued period.

This application constitutes a continuation in part of my application for Patent No. 1.445.300, filed Nov. 1, 1919 and issued Feb. 13, 1923.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the construction permitting of independent operations of the poker as desired and insuring a distribution of the fuel uniformly Within the producer body.

I claim:l

1. In a gas producer having a poker for operating upon a fuel bed therein, a plurality of independent means for operating said poker in different distinctive manners, and

means for establishing operative driving connection between any one of said means and said poker at will, substantially as described.

2. A gas producer, comprising a body, acover, means for producing relative rotation between said body and cover, a poker carried by said cover and reciprocable therethrough, means operated by such relative rotation for raising said poker out of engagement with the fuel bed within the producer body, and'means independent 'ofthe poker operating mechanism for holding said poker in said raised position while continuing such relative rotation, substantially as described.

3. A gas producer having a rotatable cover, a poker carried by said cover and reciprocable therethrough, means for raising said poker` out of contact with the fuel bed within the producer body, and means independent of said first mentioned means for automatically engaging and holding said poker in its raised position, substantially as described.

Il. A gas producer having a cover provided with an opening therethrough, a poker reciprocable through said opening, means carried by the cover for intermittently positively raising said poker and then discon- .vided with an opening theret necting it from the raising means thus permitting the same to drop under the influence of gravity, and means for producing relative rotational movement between the poker and the fuel bed within the producer Whether the poker is in'raised or lowered position, substantially as described.

5. A gasproducer havinfr a cover proiirough, a poker reciprocable through said openlng, means carried by the cover for intermittently raising and lowering the poker, and means for changingat will the length of the movement of said poker irrespective of the condltions within the producer, substantially as described.

6. A poker-operating mechanism for gas producers, comprising a poker, a rack secured thereto, a gear meshing with said rack for raising the poker, a driving means for said gear, and a plurality of independent mechanisms operable at will for causing said driving means to impart distinctive types of movements to said gear for producing different operative movements of the poker during any cycle of operation thereof, substantially as described.

7. A poker-operating mechanism for gas l producers, comprising a poker, a rack secured thereto, a gear meshing with said rack for raising the poker, a driving means for said gear, and a plurality of controlling disks having different configurations for controlling said driving means for imparting distinctive movements to said gear, substantially as described.

8. A poker-operating mechanism for gas producers, comprising a poker, means for partially counterbalancing the weight of said poker, a rack mounted on said poker, a gear meshing with said rack, driving means for said gear, and a plurality of independent mechanisms operative at will for controlling the operation 0f said driving means for producing different operative movements of the poker dur-infr any cycle of operation thereof, substantia ly as described.

9. An operating mechanism for pokers of gas producers, comprising a poker, a rack mounted thereon, a gear meshing with said rack, a clutch controlling the rotation of said gear, means tending to normally maintain said clutch in operative engagement, and a plurality of independent controlling means for moving said clutch to inoperative position, substantially as described.

10. An operating mechanism for gas producer pokers, comprising a poker, means for raising said poker, and controlling means for said raising means, said controlling means being constructed to produce distinctive types of movements of said poker during any cycle of operation thereof, substantially as described.

-11. A poker for gas producers, comprising a body portion having a bottom fuel engaging face adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the fuel bed, said fuel engaging face increasing 1n Width gradually from one end'toward the other thereof, substantially as described.

12. As an article of manufacture, a poker for gas producers having a bottom fuel engaging face adapted to rest upon the upper surface of a fuel bed, said fuel engaging face being of greater Wldthat one end than at the other, substantially as described.

13. A poker for gas producers havlng a bottom fuel engaging face of greater Width adjacent one end than the other and having its front edge inclined upwardly, and a series of oppositely extending fuel distribut ing projections on said bottom fuel engaging face, substantially as described.

14. A poker for gas producers, havlng oppositely extending projections on the bottom thereof, of gradually increasinglength from one end of the poker to the other, substantially as described.

15. A poker for gas producers having its bottom formed by a plurality of angularly extending fuel distributing intersectmg portions.

16. A poker for gas producers having its bottom formed by a plurality of angularly extending fuel distributing intersecting portions and fuel distributing projections at the bottom of said poker.

17. A poker for gas producers having its bottom formed by a plurality of angularly extending fuel distributing intersectmg portions and oppositely extending fuel d1stributing projections on the bottom of the poker.

18. A poker for gas producers, comprising a main hollow body portion having a bottom fuel engaging face whose area increases gradually from one end toward the other thereof in a horizontal plane, a hollow upright secured to said body portlon, and means for feeding a cooling fluid into said body portion, substanthlly as described. v

19. A poker actuating mechanism for gas producers, comprising a disk adapted to intermittently operate said poker, and a second disk adapted to effect a complete raising of said poker, substantially as described.

20. A poker actuating mechanism for gas j'n'oduceis, comprising means for raising the poker, means for holding said poker in raised position, and independent means for causing said raising means to intermittently partially raise the poker, substantially as described.

21. A poker for gas producers, comprising a hollow body portion having a series of projections adjacent oneend of the bottom thereof for distributing fuel in one direction, and a second series of 'pro'ections on the bottom adjacent the opposite end thereof for distributing fuel in the opposite direction all of said projections lying in substantially the, same horizontal plane, substantially as described.

22. A poker for gas producers, comprising a hollow body portion having its front edge constructed to partially distribute fuel in a plurality of `opposite directions, and means on the bottom of said poker for assisting in the distribution of said fuel, all of said means, lying in substantially the same horizontal plane, substantially as described.

23. A poker for gas producers, having a bottom portion provided with a p-rojection adjacent one end thereof inclined to distribute the fuel inwardly, and a projection adjac-ent the opposite end thereof inclined to.distribute fuel outwardly, substantially as described.

24. As an article of manufacture, a poker adapted to rest on a fuel bed and having means for effecting a movement of fuel in a plurality of opposite channels when the poker is moved thereover, substantially as described.

25. As an article of manufacture, a poker having a plurality of means formed on the bottom thereof and adapted to simultaneously engage the fuel bed for moving fuel in a plurality 'of opposite channels to effect an even distribution thereof, substantially as described. I

26. A poker actuating mechanism for gas producers, comprising means adapted to intermittently operate the poker to tamp a fuel bed, a second means adapted to effect a complete raising of said poker out of engagement With the fuel bed, and a third means for causing said poker to remain in engagement with said fuel bed, substantially as described.

27. A poker actuating-mechanism for gas producers, comprising means adapted to intermittently operate the poker vto tamp a fuel bed, a second means adapted to effect a complete raising of said poker out of engagement-With the fuel bed, a third means for causing said poker to; remain in engagement with said fuel bed, and means for bringing any of said means into operation at will, substantially as described.

28. A poker for gas producers, having a corrugated bottom fuel engaging face with the corrugations adjacent opposite ends extending in opposite directions, substantially as described.

29. A poker for gas producers, having a corrugated bottom face forming a series of fuel distributing channels, said channels extending in opposite directions adjacent opposite ends of the poker, substantially as described.

30. In a gas producer, a poker extending substantially radially thereof, and means for raising and lowering said poker to tamp the fucl bed, said poker having its fuel engaging face shaped to provide a greater tamping area adjacent the outer end thereof per unit of length than adjacent the inner end, substantially as described.

31. In a gas producer, a substantially radially extending poker adapted to engage the fuel bed, said poker having its fuel en- CII gaging face provided with a series of fuel distributing channels formed in the bottom thereof, Witli the angularity of said channels varying on opposite sides of the center of the poker, substantially as described.

32. In a gas producer, a substantially radially extending poker adapted to engage the fuel bed, said poker having its bottom fuel engaging face provided with a series of fuel distributing projections Whose angularity varies on opposite sides of the center of the poker, substantially as described.

33. In a gas producer, a cover, means for producing relative rotation between the producer and cover, a poker, and means for raising and lowering said poker to tamp the fuel Within the producer, said poker being shaped to tamp a greater area of fuel adjacent the outside of the producer than adjacent tlie inside thereof, substantially as described.

34. A poker forl gas producers, having a bottom fuel engaging face, said face having channels extending substantially the full Width thereof, With the channels adjacent one end of the poker extending in an opposite direction from the channels adjacent the opposite end thereof, substantially as described.

35. A poker for gas producers, having a fuel engaging face Wider at one end than at the other, said face having channels I extending substantially the full Width thereof, with the channels adjacent one end ofthe poker extending in an opposite direction from those adjacent the opposite end thereof, substantially as described.

3G. Poker operating mechanism for gas producers, comprising a poker, means for partially counterbalanciiig said poker, a rack on said poker, a gear meshing with said rack, and a plurality of independent means any one of which is adapted to continuously control the operation of said poker, and means operable at Will for bringing different of said second mentioned means into operative relation to said gear to vary at will the type of movement of the poker, substantially as described.

37. Poker operating mechanism for gas producers, comprising a poker, a rack on said poker, a gear meshing with said rack, and a plurality of independent means any one of Which is adapted to continuously control the operation of said poker, and means operable at Will for bringing different. of said first mentioned means into operative relation to said gear to vary at will the type of movement of tlie poker, substantially as described.

38. In a gas producer, a cover having an eccentrically located opening therein, a po'ker extending through said opening, said poker having a fuel-engaging face adapted to rest upon the fuel bed and being of gradually increasing width from end to end to contact with a gradually increasing area of fuel from end to end thereof, and means for operating said poker, substantially as described.

39. In a gas producer, a cover having an eccentrically located opening therein, a poker extending through said opening, said poker having a fuel engaging face of gradually increasing Width from end to end to contact with a gradually increasing area of fuel from end to end thereof, and means for operating said poker to either level the fuel or tamp the same, substantially as described.

40. In a gas producer, a poker o erable for tamping the fuel bed, poking the fuel bed or levelling the fuel bed, and independent disks, each having a different conguration and adapted to be rendered effective at will for causing said poker to continuously perform any of said functions, substantially as described.

41. In a gas producer, a poker, a rack thereon, an operatin gear meshing with the rack, means for riving said gear, and a plurality of independent means adapted to be operatively connected at will to said gear at any time during the operation of the producer to intermittently connect and disconnect the gear and driving means or to hold the gear out of driving relation with the driving means, substantially as described.

42. In a gas producer, a poker operable for tamping a. fuel bed or levelling a fuel bed, and independent disks, each having a different configuration and adapted to be rendered effective at will for causing said poker to continuously perform either of said functions, substantially as described.

43. A. poker actuating mechanism for gas producers, comprising means adapted to intermittentl operate the poker to tamp a fuel bed, independent means adapted to effect a complete raising of said poker out of engagement with the fuel bed, and a third independently operable means for causing said poker to remain in levelling engagement with the fuel bed, substantially as described.

44. In a gas producer, a cover, a poker extending through said cover, a Water seal for said poker, guiding means for said poker, means for positively raising said and means included in thepoker raising 10 mechanism for both automatically connecting the poker With the driving means for raising the poker and for disconnecting the poker from the driving means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof,

set my hand.

REINHARDT .DAAE

I have hereunto 

